Wichita eagle., 1887-09-18
A MIssoUR1AN's ESTIMATE.

Recently the editor Of the Rich Hill,
Mo-, Enterprise, had occasion to pay Wich-
tia visit. Subjoined we give In part his
impressions and conclusions concerning the
city as published in his paper:
Ye editor made pleasure and business
trip southwest last week, spending day
and night in the magic city of Wichita,
whose name and fame have been chanted
all over this continent and whose develop
ments are phenomena even In this day
and age of wonders. On arriving In
Wichita we were expecting fine city, but
Its metropolitan cut, ceaseless flow Of PEG.
pie driving their trades and
the colossal structures now CON-
plete and in course of construction at
one convinced that, although we had
passed through the place many times, that
we had underestimate its magnitude and
commercial strength. Its history Is so
brief that it would appear easily written.
For several years 1t vas the end Of the
great cattle drive from Texas, and, out
side of its record for toughs. was Of no
great importance.
It Is located on the east bank of the Ar
kansas rive, whose peculiarities are sub
ject of great interest and natural research.
Rising among the lofty peaks of the con-
tinental divide In the Rocky mountains,
assuming name and volume at Leadville,
attitude of 10000 feet above the level Of the
sea. 1t courses its way through the valley
or great canyon of the Arkansas to
Canyon City, where 1t emerges from its
mountain fastness and dizzy falls In whose
spray the tints of the rainbow are perpetual,
roaring cataracts and eddying pools Of
shining trout. Here 1t takes up its tire
some journey across the great American
desert" and some four hundred miles from
its source Is located Wichita. The visible
flow of water across Colorado and Kansas
makes the river appear of no consequence,
but study of the level country through
which 1t flows, wide tracks, no banks and
sand valley establishes the fact that the
flow of water is very great To dig down
from the surface two to six feet a
mile from the river almost
anywhere along its course water is found in
abundance, making a sub irrigation.
Wichita is city of $4,000 people and
will doubtless reach $4,000 within five
years from her phenomenal awakening
ERE she passes into city of staid habits
VI ScttlcU SIOWtus SOIucI iOtS uoNC ICdCuCu
the fabulous price of O,0OO and are con.
sidered as good investment. Colossal
business blocks have been built or
are under course of construction
and the money now being paid for
labor and material spent In building at
Wichita would alone support the commerce
of fair sized city. She has street rail-
ways, horse and motor lines. Seven or
eight railways enter her gates and NAM
moth stock yards are being built, great
hotel has just been been COM
pleted at the yards. Wichita has half
dozen daily and weekly papers, of which
the EAGLE and Beacon are the
principle, equaling the Kansas City
papers. It seems that spec
lal effort has been made to draw colleges
and singularly they are located on the west
side of the river The Baptist college Is an
institution of magnitude and Importance.
The Garfield university, main building, is
nearly done, an imposing structure with a
large endowment. The Catholic See of the
Southwest has several colossal buildings
up, and their church property will be of
immense proportions and cost a vast sum
of money. The real estate excitement In
Wichita has subsidized to certain degree
but property Is held high, prices firm.